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At‑sea whiting processing EFP triggers broad advisory concern over salmon bycatch, enforcement and monitoring
Summary
A proposed EFP to allow at‑sea processing of Pacific whiting south of 42°N drew praise from industry for potential efficiency and climate resilience, but advisory bodies — CDFW, GMT, EC, GAP, SAS, STT — flagged risks to ESA‑listed salmon (Klamath Chinook, CCC/SONC coho), enforcement gaps (VMS/processor accounting), observer/genetic sampling needs, and suggested tightened terms (14‑coho cap, May 15 start, haul‑by‑haul reporting).
A high‑profile exempted fishing permit application from the Pacific Whiting Conservation Cooperative proposing to allow at‑sea processing of Pacific whiting between 40°10' and 42°N generated extensive advisory review and public comment.
Industry proponents argued the EFP would test whether allowing processing closer to southern aggregations can maintain utilization during southerly distributions, improve quality, and provide fishery‑dependent data to inform management. They proposed precautionary measures including a 500‑Chinook sector cap and a 14‑coho cap in the EFP area, 100% genetic sampling of salmon, a May 15 start date for EFP activities (later than the May 1 season start), and limits on sector processing (no more than 35% of a sector’s annual whiting allocation in the EFP area).
Advis…
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